Who Killed Benazir Bhutto?
Who killed Benazir Bhutto is a question that will probably never be truly answered. Of course, in time the identity of the shooter and suicide bomber will likely be revealed. But which one of the many possible forces behind the attack will likely never be truly known. Benazir had many admirers in Pakistan as well as many enemies.
Pakistani former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a suicide attack just after addressing an election rally in Rawalpindi. She was shot in the neck by a gunman who then set off a bomb.
“The attack shows that there are still those in Pakistan trying to undermine reconciliation and democratic development in Pakistan,” a US State Department official said. Yeah. No kidding. I truly hope that the US State Department understands at least that much about the country.
That Bhutto was assassinated in violence and turmoil prone Pakistan should come as no surprise. It was the second suicide attack against her since her return to Pakistan only a few months ago and came amid a wave of bombings targeting security and government officials.
Ms Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), had twice been the country’s prime minister and had been campaigning ahead of general elections set for January. There is now considerable doubt if the elections will move forward as planned.
Whatever you may think of Benazir Bhutto she did not lack in intelligence and bravery. Surely Ms. Bhutto knew that the risk of being assassinated during her reelection campaign was considerable. Yet she pressed on with her appearances. No doubt in that part of the world she will become an immediate martyr. That probably means her supporters and admirers will be seeking revenge.
Ms Bhutto’s PPP party was the largest party in Pakistan and was a pain in the side to President Pervez Musharraf. As you might expect President Musharraf and his government called on people to remain calm so that the “nefarious designs of terrorists can be defeated.” I doubt if Musharraf sheds too many real tears over the passing of a bitter political rival. Nor will the military leaders who actually have most of the power in Pakistan.
That is not to say that President Musharraf or the military had anything to do with the Bhutto assassination. There are plenty of other possible suspects who may have had a motive. Ms. Bhutto was considered a moderate voice in Pakistan, a voice that often flew in the face of the objectives of Pakistan’s multiple fundamentalist groups. Any one of them could have established a plan and carried out her assassination.
Who killed Benazir Bhutto? We may never know who for sure but we can count on further violence and turmoil within Pakistan and in the region. The US is in the middle of a killer bees nest in Pakistan and as in Iraq and Afghanistan there is no good way out.
